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KA-BAR MULE – Badass Knife of the Week

June 11, 2018 / Glenn / 0 Comments

Some companies make knives that should be kept in a safe, only brought out under dimmed lighting and handled with gloves. Other companies, like KA-BAR, make knives that are meant to be worked and beaten mercilessly.

The perfect example of this kind of knife is the KA-BAR MULE.

Standing for Military, Utility and Law Enforcement, the MULE is the very definition of a workhorse knife. It features a sturdy 3.875-inch black-coated blade made from functional AUS 8A stainless steel, a reliable lockback mechanism, and a nearly indestructible black Zytel handle.

But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. KA-BAR describes this heavy-duty tool as the folding knife’s answer to the traditional KA-BAR fixed blade. While no folder can ever compare to a fixed blade as storied as the KA-BAR, the MULE has proven time and again that it can take pretty much anything you throw at it.

Knives Save Lives: The Rabid Coyote

June 7, 2018 / Glenn / 6 Comments

My thoughts on knives as poor defensive weapons is well documented. That being said I often carry a knife for self-defense.

I live in a neighborhood where packs of large dogs are often roaming around unleashed. On top of that, I frequently take my young kids out for walks. Carrying a large stick is impractical most of the time, so I carry a knife just in case.

Fortunately, I’ve never had to use the knife for such a purpose (though I came alarmingly close one time). A Georgian hiker named Nate Edmund wasn’t so lucky.

On the last Saturday of May, Edmund had gone to a demonstration forest in Jones County for a hike. However, he noticed a creature ahead of him.

“I saw something moving through the woods,” Edmund told Georgia Outdoor News. “I saw what looked like a dog, but by the time it finally got out into the trail, I could clearly see it was a coyote.”

2018 BLADE Show ‘Knife of the Year’ Awards

June 5, 2018 / Glenn / 1 Comment

Another BLADE Show has come and gone.

While I wasn’t able to attend this year, I’m not going to ignore one of my favorite events of the knife-filled weekend: the awards.

The Knife of the Year awards are designed to recognize the highest achievements in the factory-made and custom knife industries. Some experts in the field have argued that the winners of the awards have not reflected the consensus of the wider knife community. However, it is interesting to see which ones take home the top prize.

Overall Knife of the Year: Fox Knives SURU

Image from Blade Magazine

First up is the biggie: the Overall Knife of the Year. Fox Knives took home the top prize with the SURU. Designed by Jesper Voxnaes (as you can plainly see), the SURU is the first frame mechanism made from 90 percent carbon fiber and 10 percent TPI stainless steel. I imagine the carbon fiber makes it extremely lightweight.

It is a darn sexy knife with flourishes like titanium screws, Vegas Forge Herringbone Damascus steel, and a titanium clip with a zirconium oxide ball.

American Made Knife of the Year: Chris Reeve Impinda

Next up is the American Made Knife of the Year. The Impinda is the first slip joint from Chris Reeve Knives and looks as though it captures the same quality and finish you can expect from other CRK models like the Sebenza. It has a 3.123-inch S35VN blade with a titanium handle.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjmwcrxjIS3/

Imported Knife of the Year: Spyderco Paysan

The Paysan was just released in the Spyderco 2018 Mid-Year Guide a few days ago and was one of the knives we were most excited for. It’s not hard to see why.

CRKT Heiho – Badass Knife of the Week

June 4, 2018 / Glenn / 3 Comments

The CRKT Heiho was born out of a challenge to knife designer and martial arts instructor James Williams.

Williams had designed the CRKT Hissatsu — based on an old Japanese fixed blade — for use by tactical law enforcement and military forces. However, some special operations and government security professionals are not allowed to carry a large fixed blade, so he set out to create a low-profile folder that could be used in hostile environments.

The result is the Heiho.

10 Droolworthy 2018 Mid-Year Spyderco Knives

May 31, 2018 / Glenn / 3 Comments

It’s nearly June and that means Spyderco has released its mid-year catalog with some droolworthy models we saw at SHOT Show earlier this year.

The 15-page catalog features an array of new models or updates like the Autonomy 2 and Techno 2. Here are 10 models that really jumped out to see.

You can see the whole 2018 mid-year catalog here.

Spyderco Smock

We’ll start off with one of the more radical designs. The Smock is based on Kevin Smock’s SK23 custom folder, which has a button version of the Compression Lock. Spyderco worked with Smock to bring his creation to the masses. The knife also has a fantastic top flipper tab that doesn’t stick out. The blade is 3.45 inches.

MSRP: $249.95

Spyderco Mantra 3

The common feature of many of the knives in this mid-year release is the flipper/Compression Lock combo. The Mantra 3 takes the general design of the Mantra 1 and adds carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scales and a Compression Lock.

Louisiana Switchblade Ban Repealed

May 29, 2018 / Glenn / 2 Comments

If you live in Louisiana — the same great state Knife Depot is based in — then we have good news for you.

Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill that repeals the state’s antiquated ban on switchblade knives. Although the bill was signed by the governor on May 25, it doesn’t officially take effect until August 1.

The repeal was another victory for the knife community spearheaded by Knife Rights. The knife advocacy organization lobbied to get members of the state’s congress to draft and pass the bill.

The bill — titled HB892 — legalized the buying and carrying of switchblades as long as there is no “intentional concealment on one’s person.” The wording is a bit vague, but Knife Rights said it was necessary to add so sheriffs and state police wouldn’t oppose the bill.

SOG Super Bowie – Badass Knife of the Week

May 28, 2018 / Glenn / 3 Comments

The SOG Knife was designed by Benjamin Baker, the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Counterinsurgency Support Office. It had a stacked leather handle, an interesting clip point blade design, and a blackened blade to reduce glare.

Knife designer Spencer Frazer was so inspired by the original design that he created a company called SOG Specialty Knives based on the SOG Knife. What started out as a single commemorative model that paid tribute to the special ops that made it slowly turned into a larger knife company with dozens of models.

BLADE Show 2018 Info

May 22, 2018 / Glenn / 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again. BLADE Show 2018 is nearly here.

From June 1 to June 3, thousands of people will descend on Atlanta to partake in the world’s largest knife show.

Here’s a nice promotional video to get you going:

If you’re not familiar with BLADE Show, then you’re in for quite the treat.

Spyderco Yojimbo 2 – Badass Knife of the Week

May 21, 2018 / Glenn / 0 Comments

Renowned personal-defense trainer Michael Janich is credited with popularizing the modern Wharncliffe blade design with an eye on tactical applications. This unusual blade design culminated in his most recent creation — the redesigned Spyderco Yojimbo 2.

Spyderco is known for taking risks on knives with odd-looking designs, and the Yojimbo 2 is no exception.

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The most notable part of the whole knife is the 3.11-inch Wharncliffe blade. A Wharncliffe blade is defined by having a completely flat edge with a spine that tapers to a piercing point. Both of these attributes make the profile excellent for everyday tasks… and self-defense.

Knife Podcasts You Should Listen To

May 17, 2018 / Glenn / 9 Comments

I am addicted to podcasts. I pop them on when I’m cleaning the house, sharpening my knives, and going for walks.

With hundreds of thousands of unique podcasts, there’s no dearth of something to listen, including dozens of pods 100 percent dedicated to sewing. But what about us knife nuts?

It’s true that there are far fewer knife-related podcasts than there should be, but there are at least seven that every knife fan should be subscribed to. Let us know in the comments if we missed any.

This post was originally published in December 2016, but there have been a few new podcasts in the last few months and others that have faded away. I’m hoping these are here to stay.

Gear Geeks Live

This is one of the longest running knife-related podcasts out there. Except when it took a short hiatus, the pod has been publishing at least once a month for around four years. Gear Geeks Live is hosted by Anthony Sculimbrene of Everyday Commentary (a personal favorite). In the past few months, Sculimbrene has been joined by the great Nick Shabazz.

The guys take a thorough look at the goings on in the knife world including new releases, the news, and more. They also do interviews with folks around the knife community and interviewed knifemaker Jesse Jarosz in the past. Sculimbrene and Shabazz have a nice rapport.

The Cutting Edge